Five new police outposts have opened in Alipurduar district to improve access to police services in remote border villages and strengthen security along the India-Bhutan and Assam-Bengal borders.
The outposts were inaugurated on Tuesday by Sukesh Jain, inspector general of police for north Bengal. Four are located near the Bhutan frontier, while the fifth has been established at Sankosh along the Assam-Bengal border.
The new facilities are at Lankapara near Birpara police station, Pashakha and Chuapara in Kalchini, and Hatipota and Sankosh in Kumargram. Police officials said the locations were selected to bring basic police access closer to residents who often have to travel long distances to reach their respective police stations.
Jain said the outposts would improve the safety and security of people living in the sensitive border belt. “People often face difficulties in reaching police stations because of the distance. Now they can approach the nearest outpost to report their problems and seek assistance,” he told journalists.
The move addresses a basic administrative challenge in sparsely connected settlements: the physical distance between residents and the institutions responsible for responding to complaints, emergencies and local security concerns. For people in far-flung villages, the nearest outpost is expected to reduce the need for long journeys to file grievances or seek police help, although the report does not specify the staffing, operating hours or facilities at each location.
The police also identified action against drug-related activities as a priority for the region. “Our priority is to make this region drug-free. We will make every possible effort and take all necessary steps to achieve this objective,” Jain said.
The outposts will operate in an area that combines international and interstate border responsibilities. The Bhutan-facing locations are in and around the Kalchini and Birpara areas, while Sankosh lies along the boundary between West Bengal and Assam. The police described the expansion as part of efforts to improve security and public access in the border belt.
Forest minister Manoj Kumar Oraon, Alipurduar MP Manoj Tigga, minister of state for home and hill affairs Bishal Lama, and Alipurduar superintendent of police Amit Kumar Shaw attended the inauguration programmes.
After the Hatipota inauguration, Jain and other officials visited the Golf Course ground in Rydak, where arrangements are being made for a public gathering on November 18 to mark the birth anniversary of tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda. Jain inspected the venue and received information about preparations for the event, according to a source cited in the report.
